JUSTIN

Deb was out for Michael’s head for disappearing. Not acting like it was unusual to be standing there one minute and gone the next. I went to sit with Vic while Deb treated Michael like a bad baby boy for not wanting her dream son-in-law.

“She doesn’t get that Dr Dave only wants the little woman at home.” Vic tells me.

“She always wanted him to find someone who could love him.” I tell Vic, forgetting for a second I was still relatively new in their world.

I looked around for Deb’s bible, since I know I’d never read anything about what Todd talked about. I found it in a drawer, next to her rosary.

“Looking for divine intervention for Michael?” Vic teases, as I flip at random.

“I just heard something that I know I’ve never read in all the classes we took at school.” I tell him.

“Maybe I can help, being born Catholic myself.” He tells me.

“It sounds more like mythology to me.” I tell him.

“Myth came from some form of the truth. What you’re reading is the human race’s interpretation in the end. And not always what I believe God expected of us.” He tells me, not surprising me since Vic kept his depths hidden.

“Have you ever heard of the Princes of Light and Darkness?” I ask.

“The two sides of the human race. Yes. But it’s not in there.” He tells me, studying me.

“Then where did it come from?” I ask.

“I honestly don’t really remember. Just that it was something I heard at one time.” He tells me, getting a drink for both of us.

“Since I’m here, I’d like to hear what you know.” I ask.

“For a paper or something?” He asks.

“Something. But it’s just interesting.” I tell him.

“It might get a bit out there, but I’ll tell you what I remember. When God created man, in the stages of creating him he wanted them to be different, allowing them the things his angels didn’t have. They would walk between light and dark; in other words, they would have the ability to sin. Only at first, sinning was taking over, and driving light out of his creations. His son, in his jealousy that God was no longer bestowing all his love on him, fell, wanting to punish the creations and not allowing them into the place where only light lived. God didn’t want his creations punished because he loved them, but in the end you couldn’t be in Heaven if you no longer believed in God. He created two houses in Heaven, in hopes to understand why sin was extinguishing the light, which was God’s love. Then he created a third house, with beings who could walk the line between them. The third house would have one of each side, and in essence mediate between the two. The purpose was to decide where a soul went at the end. Each side would be sent to assess where the soul went. God didn’t see sin as the problem, but the loss of faith in him. That’s all I really remember, but I was high at the time, and the guy seemed to get more philosophical the more high we got.” He tells me, winking.

“Do you still know him?” I ask.

“Nope. At the time I was looking for my next trick, not wanting to talk about Heaven and Hell.” He tells me.

“Vic, tell Michael to stop chasing Brian and see that David could be good for him. Sunshine, let me feed you.” Deb says, walking in with Michael who slumps in the chair.

“We just wanted to see if you’d be willing to let a kid who needs a place to stay, stay here.” Michael tells them.

“What about his family?” Deb asks, grabbing leftovers and putting them in front of us.

“The mother was involved in the thing with the cops.” Michael tells her, eating on command like we always did.

“Poor kid. But you know, they don’t just let a kid go where he wants.” She tells us.

“He’ll go back to the streets if they try to put him in a foster home. A lot of people don’t really get that it’s not his fault, some of the things he did to survive. You and Vic could help him, because you won’t judge him for what he did.” Michael tells them.

“Vic?” Deb asks.

“Sis.” He says.

“Okay, bring him over and we’ll do what we can.” She tells us.

Michael got out only after promising to give David a call and actually show up for the date. David told her he wanted to take Michael out. Deb was thrilled that Michael and I were getting along, and Michael jokingly slung his arm through mine, saying we were besties, as we walked, or more accurately, Michael dragged us out. We started down the sidewalk, walking away as Deb watched us.

“We seriously need to get back to our timeline.” He tells me, still pulling me with him.

“Then we go see Zenny Ben, because this is right up his alley.” I tell him.

“Why?” He asked, not really wanting to see Ben.

“He probably knows all about what is starting to sound more Mythic than based off religion.” I tell him.

“You don’t want to believe we are what Todd said?” He asks.

“I guess I just have a hard time believing this as anything else. It sounds too Rage-ish, when you think about it.” I tell him.

“Maybe it was why we created it, because it was what we did before all this.” He tells me.

Brian pulled up, not getting out but staring at Michael’s arm and mine. “I need a blow job and a few drinks, you coming?” Brian growled at Michael.

Michael looked at his watch and while some people went out at six, Brian was really more of... waiting around to make an appearance. “I was going to get Justin settled in at my place first.” He tells him.

“Go with him, I’ll deal with Ben. Lindsay doesn’t need any advantages.” I whisper in his ear, making Brian come out of the jeep.

“Get in the car.” He tells Michael.

“Seriously, get over it. Unlike you, I can be friends with a guy.” Michael said, but got in.

“Do not use Michael.” He tells me, backing me up until I hit a tree, and caging me in.

“Why, if you don’t believe I have a clue in my little blond head about you, would it bother you?” I ask, not letting him think he for once got to order me around.

“Michael can’t have you.” He tells me, staring at my lips.

“No doors.” I tell him. “But right now I’m off to find a hunky professor, so Mikey’s safe from me.” I tell him.

“He’ll never give you what I did.” Brian says, which was strange.

“Who? Mikey or the professor?’ I ask.

“Anyone. I made sure you would always remember me.” He tells me.

“Be careful, it’s starting to sound like you think I belong to you.” I tell him.

The kiss was pretty much possession, but as usual, the minute it was over he was off to prove to himself he didn’t do relationships. Although he made sure I knew they still weren’t better than me.

“Let’s go see if I can at least get in the top ten for blow jobs, since number one is being all scholarly today.” Brian tells Michael, getting in and racing away.

I got halfway to the bus stop before Ted and Emmett pulled up. “Need a ride, Baby?” Emmett yelled out the window.

“I was going to Carnegie, where were you two going?” I ask.

“We were going to visit with Deb, at least I was.” Emmett tells me.

“I can go with Justin, Deb is likely going to want us to get Michael to stop skipping out on David.” He tells us.

“I’m going to see what he can tell me about another new tidbit the angels are trickling down.” I warn Ted, who pretty much just pretended we were joking this whole time.

“I can keep Deb from showing up with a naked Dr Dreamboat in Michael’s room and instructing them.” Emmett says, getting out and laughing at us both grimacing at the idea. 

“I’m just kidding you two. She’d just shove him into the room naked and hope Michael learned from watching Brian tricking.” He tells us, skipping away.

“So what’s the newest?” Ted asks, driving towards Carnegie.

“Something that changes everything.” I tell him.

“So, nothing new lately.” He says, in that dry voice that was just him.

“I need to see if someone we meet later in this timeline would know. He seems to always know about the things of Myth and Legend.” I tell him.

“Meeting him now changes things, doesn’t it?” He asks.

“I wasn’t really a big part of the relationship he ends up in. In truth, we really never talked much. I just know he’d be the person who could probably tell me how the myth came into being.” I tell him.

“If it’s a myth then why are you letting it keep you from what sounds more important?” He asks.

“If it’s true, I needed to know exactly how it worked. I’m sure Michael would be thrilled if there was a superpower or two in it too.” I joke.

Blake told us Ben had been around during the times we didn’t know him. And it made it easier because he always left his lectures open to anyone who wanted to come. Ted and I sat in the back while he talked about cultural norms, and how it molded us to try to fit into them. The students were too busy looking at the professor. He finally called a halt and everyone woke up... I mean left.

When we walked up he smiled, but it wasn’t one of recognition. “Hope I didn’t interrupt the nap.” He tells Ted.

“Sorry. It was interesting, just a lot going on in one day.” Ted tells him.

“He only came because I wanted to see if you would be a reference for a paper I want to write.” I tell him.

“I was headed out to get something to eat if you want to come, and you can tell me what you’re writing about.” Ben tells us.

Ted and I offered him a ride and went to a local hangout for college kids. After ordering, Ben asked what I needed from him. I explained what Vic told me, waiting to see what he knew.

“It’s close to what I’ve read, but there’s more to it. What you said was the basis of it. There was a story later about how the one in between gets tested, to make sure he could stay unbiased.” He tells me.

“Do you know it?” I ask.

“Enough to give you an idea. It actually started in Heaven. The two houses, even though they both served God’s will, weren’t happy. As time went on the two opposing houses did what they were created to do. Eventually they were allowed to add to the houses, have children, and lives similar to the beings they watched over. Each house had to train the children to eventually take over for them. The one in between didn’t have the same choice, because they were test living here. It was the only way to teach them about the people who they were going to be mediating over. I know there's more to it, but it’s been awhile since I read it. I can see if I can rack my brain over where it came from, and get back to you, if you like.” He tells me

“That would be good, call Ted and he’ll make sure I know.” I tell him.

Ben spent the rest of the time asking about what I planned to do after high school. I told him what I did the last time, since it didn’t really matter to me. Ted dropped me off at Michael and Emmett’s apartment. No one was there so I went to take a shower. Deciding I would then see if the internet had anything, since people loved to talk about this kind of stuff. I was lost in thoughts of everything when the curtain was moved and Brian was apparently not out tricking.